James Atwell Waters

Our beloved husband and father died on March 8, 2021, a courageous battle with pneumonia.  

James Atwell Waters, Jr. was born in Cartersville, Ga. September 7, 1928.  He was the only child of Elizabeth Campbell Waters and James Atwell Waters, Sr. 

In his early teens Jim expressed an interest in the military and his parents agreed to allow him to attend Georgia Military College, College Park, Ga.  He really enjoyed his time there and it was there he developed his lifelong love of exercise and physical activity. 

Upon graduation he entered Mercer University, Macon Ga.  majored in pre-law with the aim of attending Walter F George School of Law upon graduation.  He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.   He was also a member of the R.O.T.C.  Upon graduation he found Uncle Sam had other ideas for his future and he found himself a 1st Lt. in the Army Corps of Engineers at Ft Belvoir, Va. 

While attending Mercer, he met his partner for life, Dolores.  They enjoyed just shy of 68 years of love and happiness together.  Both only children, many said this was a sure guarantee for failure. But theirs was a blessed union founded upon their love for one another and their Catholic faith.  Their days began and ended with a prayer, a prayer for thanksgiving for the day they shared.  They spent their honeymoon on St Simons Island, an island they would return to each May and September during their retirement years.  During these most pleasant times they gathered family and friends for some of the happiest times of their lives.

Upon completion of his training at Ft. Belvoir, Va. he was stationed at Ft. Richardson, Alaska for 2 ½ years.  While stationed in Alaska Jim began a degree study in accounting with the University of Alaska. Also, this is where Jim and Dolores lost their first child, a son, who passed at 6 weeks old, James Atwell Waters, III.

Upon completion of his tour of duty, Jim and Dolores returned to Atlanta, Ga.  Jim attended Ga. State University and received a master’s in accounting.  He also passed the CPA exam.  He became a Certified Public Accountant & Special Agent with the Internal Revenue Service where he worked for 35 years until his retirement.

Then the fun began as Jim and Dolores set sail on many a delightful cruise thru the Caribbean and Europe.  Their favorite ports of call were Rome and Lisbon.  But no matter where they traveled, they would always say let’s head for our favorite destination, St Simons!

This Obituary would be incomplete if we did not speak of the determination of this special person.  He exercised regularly and spent several hours most days at the Ashford Cowart YMCA.  At the age of 50 he decided that he would take up running so he could run in the annual Thanksgiving Peachtree Road Race, which turned out to be just the first of many to come.  He not only ran the race, but he also came in 3rd for his age bracket.  Jim ran in the Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon, S.C. and qualified to run in the Boston Marathon.     

Jim is survived by his wife of 67 years and 10 months, daughter Catherine R. Waters, son-in-law David J. Sereno, his son Joseph K. Waters, daughter-in-law Jamie (Blanchard) Waters.

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, March 12, at 1 P.M. at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church.  Due to Covid 19 restrictions, the service is limited to family only. 

In lieu of flowers, we suggest donations to the Saint Vincent de Paul Conference of Our Lady of the Assumption, a charity dear to Jim's heart.  Please send to:

SVdP Conference/OLA

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church

1406 Hearst Drive

Brookhaven, GA 30319

In memory of James A Waters, Jr.

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